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MONTCLAIR -- Having reached the CIF-SS Division 1AA quarterfinals on the strength of solid defensive play, coach Jerry Clayton was not about to change the Chaffey High School girls basketball game plan.
As a result, Chaffey advanced to the semifinals Saturday night with a 63-43 decision over Eisenhower at Montclair High School. The Tigers (26-3) dominated the boards and Tamara McDonald the floor against the Eagles (24-5).
The Tigers will next face top-seeded Rolling Hills Estates Peninsula, a 42-36 winner over Chino in another quarterfinal game.
Chaffey limited the Citrus Belt League champions to a mere 14 points in the second half. The Eagles failed to score the first 4:47 of the third quarter and watched Chaffey increase a 35-29 halftime lead to 41-29.
Eisenhower went scoreless the opening 3:27 of the fourth quarter as the Tigers put the game away.
"We decided to concentrate on the defensive end and play our game," said Clayton. "It's what we've been doing all season."
The same could be said about McDonald, Chaffey's talented senior point guard. She finished the night with a game-high 29 points and contributed numerous assists inside to Mary Turner and Angie
Cannady.
In addition to keeping the Eagles, specifically Catrina Taylor, off the boards, Turner and Cannady combined for 26 points. The Tigers had a 43-30 edge in rebounds.
"I was most proud of the fact our posts were able to get open," said McDonald. "My job is to get them the ball."
McDonald, who scored 16 points in the second half, was also pleased because she got the best of Eisenhower's Janeka Webster.
"She's the best defensive player I've ever faced. We've been playing against each other for about five years," said McDonald. "Her defense distracts me, but I had to deal with the pressure. I had to keep cool and not lose the ball."
Webster led the Eagles with 16 points, including 11 in the second quarter. She popped a trio of long-range 3-pointers, but was off the mark most of the night along with her teammates.
Eisenhower cut Chaffey's lead to five points late in the first half, but that might have been the Eagles' undoing.
"I think we got too emotional after the first quarter and took ourselves out of the game," said Eisenhower coach David Wolfe. "I think we played good defense in the first three minutes of the second half, but we didn't score.
"We might have been too focused on McDonald. Therefore, we didn't stop the other girls, we just didn't rotate," said Wolfe.
"It wasn't for lack of effort. We knew what they could do, they just did it better."
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